Culliver absence due to agent involvement

Two sources told the South Carolina Radio Network Friday USC senior cornerback Chris Culliver was held out of Thursday night’s win over Southern Miss because he is being investigated for involvment with an agent.

Culliver, tight end Weslye Saunders and offensive tackle Jarriel King are the only Gamecock players who remain ineligible to play as of Friday afternoon according to one source. Saunders issues involved agents and his stay at the Whitney Hotel. King’s issue is related strictly to the Whitney Hotel. All of the other players who were under NCAA scrutiny for their living arrangement at the Whitney have been cleared by the NCAA according to the source.

The players who were under NCAA scrutiny had to travel seperately to last night’s game per NCAA rules. Techinically, they had been declared ineligible by the NCAA and the rules don’t allow ineligible players to travel with the team or to stay in the team hotel. This included freshman running back Marcus Lattimore who, according to a source, just had some paperwork issue that was cleared up before the game. The NCAA reinstated the eligiblity of the players, except Culliver, Saunders and King, prior to last night’s game.

Saunders actually attended last night’s game and sat in the student section. A source said he had asked to be allowed to stand on the sideline with the team but was told he might become too much of a distraction. King was with the team and on the sideline last night. Culliver was not.

There was no indication Friday when the NCAA might complete its investigation of the three remaining ineligible players.